Calif. man vanishes after walking dog

LOS ANGELES - Los Angeles police are now searching for a
23-year-old man who has been missing for more than two days after he took his dog out
for a walk.

Police say Darwin
Vela was last seen around 9 p.m.
Tuesday when he took his chocolate Labrador “Cocoa” for a walk in South Los
Angeles. The canine returned home but without his owner and with blood on his
leash.

Kelly McClaren, Vela’s fiancee, told CBS Los Angeles the
canine returned home about an hour after they left and was “trembling and
whimpering.”

McClaren said it was very unusual for the dog to cry, “He
was just standing there, his tail between his legs.” She says she immediately
called 911.

Police say they would test the blood found on the leash to
see whether it was Vela's.

No one has heard from the missing man since. His cellphone, wallet and keys were left at his home.

Vela has black hair and brown eyes;
he is about 5’6’’ tall and weighs around 160 pounds. He was reportedly last
seen wearing a dark green beanie, black shirt and blue jeans.

McClaren also told the station her
fiance recently lost his job, but is well-liked and doesn’t have any enemies.
The two were scheduled to testify as witnesses in a pre-trial hearing in a
burglary case Thursday.

Police did not say whether Vela’s
disappearance might be connected to that case.